1
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Qin S, Gao H, Kim W, Zhang H, Gu Y, Kalari KR, Sinnwell JP, Scholz JA, Xie F, Yin P, Yu J, Qin B, Zhuang Y, Wei L, Tan W, Bryce AH, Weinshilboum RM, Wang L. Biomarkers for Predicting Abiraterone Treatment Outcome and Selecting Alternative Therapies in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2022; 111:1296-1306. [PMID: 35288936 PMCID: PMC9124371 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Approximately one‐third of patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) exhibited primary abiraterone resistance. To identify alternative treatment for abiraterone nonresponders, we performed drug discovery analyses using the L1000 database using differentially expressed genes identified in tumor biopsies and patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) tumors between abiraterone responders and nonresponders enrolled in PROMOTE trial. This approach identified 3 drugs, including topoisomerase II (TOP2) inhibitor mitoxantrone, CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, and pan‐CDK inhibitor PHA‐793887. These drugs significantly suppressed the growth of abiraterone‐resistant cell lines and PDX models. Moreover, we identified 11 genes targeted by all 3 drugs that were associated with worse outcomes in both the PROMOTE and Stand Up To Cancer cohorts. This 11‐gene panel might also function as biomarkers to select the 3 alternative therapies for this subgroup of patients with CRPC, warranting further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Qin
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Huanyao Gao
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wootae Kim
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yayun Gu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Krishna R Kalari
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jason P Sinnwell
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jodi A Scholz
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Fang Xie
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ping Yin
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jia Yu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bo Qin
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yongxian Zhuang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lixuan Wei
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Winston Tan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Alan H Bryce
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Richard M Weinshilboum
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Liewei Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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2
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Gaurav I, Wang X, Thakur A, Iyaswamy A, Thakur S, Chen X, Kumar G, Li M, Yang Z. Peptide-Conjugated Nano Delivery Systems for Therapy and Diagnosis of Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1433. [PMID: 34575511 PMCID: PMC8471603 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides are strings of approximately 2-50 amino acids, which have gained huge attention for theranostic applications in cancer research due to their various advantages including better biosafety, customizability, convenient process of synthesis, targeting ability via recognizing biological receptors on cancer cells, and better ability to penetrate cell membranes. The conjugation of peptides to the various nano delivery systems (NDS) has been found to provide an added benefit toward targeted delivery for cancer therapy. Moreover, the simultaneous delivery of peptide-conjugated NDS and nano probes has shown potential for the diagnosis of the malignant progression of cancer. In this review, various barriers hindering the targeting capacity of NDS are addressed, and various approaches for conjugating peptides and NDS have been discussed. Moreover, major peptide-based functionalized NDS targeting cancer-specific receptors have been considered, including the conjugation of peptides with extracellular vesicles, which are biological nanovesicles with promising ability for therapy and the diagnosis of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isha Gaurav
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Xuehan Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Abhimanyu Thakur
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation-CAS Limited, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Ashok Iyaswamy
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
- Mr. & Mrs. Ko Chi-Ming Centre for Parkinson’s Disease Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sudha Thakur
- National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (Divyangjan), Kolkata 700090, India;
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- School of Basic and Applied Science, Galgotias University, Greater Noida 203201, India;
| | - Min Li
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
- Mr. & Mrs. Ko Chi-Ming Centre for Parkinson’s Disease Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhijun Yang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; (I.G.); (X.W.); (A.I.); (X.C.); (M.L.)
- Changshu Research Institute, Hong Kong Baptist University, Changshu Economic and Technological Development (CETD) Zone, Changshu 215500, China
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3
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Zhou J, Li Y, Huang W, Shi W, Qian H. Source and exploration of the peptides used to construct peptide-drug conjugates. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113712. [PMID: 34303870 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are a class of novel molecules widely designed and synthesized for delivering payload drugs. The peptide part plays a vital role in the whole molecule, because they determine the ability of the molecules to penetrate the membrane and target to the specific targets. Here, we introduce the source of different kinds of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and cell-targeting peptides (CTPs) that have been used or could be used in constructing PDCs as well as their latest application in delivering drugs. What's more, the approaches of developing CPPs and CTPs and the techniques to discover novel peptides are focused on and summarized in the review. This review aims to help relevant researchers fast understand the research status of peptides in PDCs and carry forward the process of novel peptides discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Zhou
- Centre of Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Centre of Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Wenlong Huang
- Centre of Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Wei Shi
- Centre of Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Hai Qian
- Centre of Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Disease, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
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4
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D'Aguanno S, Mallone F, Marenco M, Del Bufalo D, Moramarco A. Hypoxia-dependent drivers of melanoma progression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:159. [PMID: 33964953 PMCID: PMC8106186 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01926-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia, a condition of low oxygen availability, is a hallmark of tumour microenvironment and promotes cancer progression and resistance to therapy. Many studies reported the essential role of hypoxia in regulating invasiveness, angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry and response to therapy in melanoma. Melanoma is an aggressive cancer originating from melanocytes located in the skin (cutaneous melanoma), in the uveal tract of the eye (uveal melanoma) or in mucosal membranes (mucosal melanoma). These three subtypes of melanoma represent distinct neoplasms in terms of biology, epidemiology, aetiology, molecular profile and clinical features.In this review, the latest progress in hypoxia-regulated pathways involved in the development and progression of all melanoma subtypes were discussed. We also summarized current knowledge on preclinical studies with drugs targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1, angiogenesis or vasculogenic mimicry. Finally, we described available evidence on clinical studies investigating the use of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 inhibitors or antiangiogenic drugs, alone or in combination with other strategies, in metastatic and adjuvant settings of cutaneous, uveal and mucosal melanoma.Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-independent pathways have been also reported to regulate melanoma progression, but this issue is beyond the scope of this review.As evident from the numerous studies discussed in this review, the increasing knowledge of hypoxia-regulated pathways in melanoma progression and the promising results obtained from novel antiangiogenic therapies, could offer new perspectives in clinical practice in order to improve survival outcomes of melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona D'Aguanno
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Mallone
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Marenco
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Del Bufalo
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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5
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Fontana F, Limonta P. Dissecting the Hormonal Signaling Landscape in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:1133. [PMID: 34067217 PMCID: PMC8151003 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying prostate cancer (PCa) progression towards its most aggressive, castration-resistant (CRPC) stage is urgently needed to improve the therapeutic options for this almost incurable pathology. Interestingly, CRPC is known to be characterized by a peculiar hormonal landscape. It is now well established that the androgen/androgen receptor (AR) axis is still active in CRPC cells. The persistent activity of this axis in PCa progression has been shown to be related to different mechanisms, such as intratumoral androgen synthesis, AR amplification and mutations, AR mRNA alternative splicing, increased expression/activity of AR-related transcription factors and coregulators. The hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), by binding to its specific receptors (GnRH-Rs) at the pituitary level, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of the reproductive functions. GnRH and GnRH-R are also expressed in different types of tumors, including PCa. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that, in CRPC cells, the activation of GnRH-Rs is associated with a significant antiproliferative/proapoptotic, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic activity. This antitumor activity is mainly mediated by the GnRH-R-associated Gαi/cAMP signaling pathway. In this review, we dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of the androgen/AR and GnRH/GnRH-R axes in CRPC progression and the possible therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrizia Limonta
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy;
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6
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Cohen L, Livney YD, Assaraf YG. Targeted nanomedicine modalities for prostate cancer treatment. Drug Resist Updat 2021; 56:100762. [PMID: 33857756 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2021.100762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cause of death amongst men in the USA. Therapy of PC has been transformed in the past decade by introducing novel therapeutics, advanced functional imaging and diagnostic approaches, next generation sequencing, as well as improved application of existing therapies in localized PC. Treatment of PC at the different stages of the disease may include surgery, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, although ADT has proven efficacious in PC treatment, its effectiveness may be temporary, as these tumors frequently develop molecular mechanisms of therapy resistance, which allow them to survive and proliferate even under conditions of testosterone deprivation, inhibition of androgen receptor signaling, or cytotoxic drug treatment. Importantly, ADT was found to induce key alterations which frequently result in the formation of metastatic tumors displaying a therapy refractory phenotype. Hence, to overcome these serious therapeutic impediments, novel PC cell-targeted therapeutic strategies are being developed. These include diverse platforms enabling specific enhanced antitumor drug uptake and increased intracellular accumulation. Studies have shown that these novel treatment modalities lead to enhanced antitumor activity and diminished systemic toxicity due to the use of selective targeting and decreased drug doses. The underlying mechanism of targeting and internalization is based upon the interaction between a selective ligand, conjugated to a drug-loaded nanoparticle or directly to an anti-cancer drug, and a specific plasma membrane biomarker, uniquely overexpressed on the surface of PC cells. Another targeted therapeutic approach is the delivery of unique anti-oncogenic signaling pathway-based therapeutic drugs, which are selectively cytotoxic to PC cells. The current paper reviews PC targeted modalities reported in the past 6 years, and discusses both the advantages and limitations of the various targeted treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lital Cohen
- The Laboratory of Biopolymers for Food and Health, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Yoav D Livney
- The Laboratory of Biopolymers for Food and Health, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
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7
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Hawryłkiewicz A, Ptaszyńska N. Gemcitabine Peptide-Based Conjugates and Their Application in Targeted Tumor Therapy. Molecules 2021; 26:E364. [PMID: 33445797 PMCID: PMC7828243 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A major obstacle in tumor treatment is associated with the poor penetration of a therapeutic agent into the tumor tissue and with their adverse influence on healthy cells, which limits the dose of drug that can be safely administered to cancer patients. Gemcitabine is an anticancer drug used to treat a wide range of solid tumors and is a first-line treatment for pancreatic cancer. The effect of gemcitabine is significantly weakened by its rapid plasma degradation. In addition, the systemic toxicity and drug resistance significantly reduce its chemotherapeutic efficacy. Up to now, many approaches have been made to improve the therapeutic index of gemcitabine. One of the recently developed approaches to improve conventional chemotherapy is based on the direct targeting of chemotherapeutics to cancer cells using the drug-peptide conjugates. In this work, we summarize recently published gemcitabine peptide-based conjugates and their efficacy in anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalia Ptaszyńska
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
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8
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Patel TK, Adhikari N, Amin SA, Biswas S, Jha T, Ghosh B. Small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs): an emerging strategy for anticancer drug design and discovery. NEW J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj04134c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms of how SMDCs work. Small molecule drugs are conjugated with the targeted ligand using pH sensitive linkers which allow the drug molecule to get released at lower lysosomal pH. It helps to accumulate the chemotherapeutic agents to be localized in the tumor environment upon cleaving of the pH-labile bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarun Kumar Patel
- Epigenetic Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy
- BITS-Pilani
- Hyderabad
- India
| | - Nilanjan Adhikari
- Natural Science Laboratory
- Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
- Jadavpur University
- Kolkata 700032
| | - Sk. Abdul Amin
- Natural Science Laboratory
- Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
- Jadavpur University
- Kolkata 700032
| | - Swati Biswas
- Epigenetic Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy
- BITS-Pilani
- Hyderabad
- India
| | - Tarun Jha
- Natural Science Laboratory
- Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
- Jadavpur University
- Kolkata 700032
| | - Balaram Ghosh
- Epigenetic Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy
- BITS-Pilani
- Hyderabad
- India
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9
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Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptors in Prostate Cancer: Molecular Aspects and Biological Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249511. [PMID: 33327545 PMCID: PMC7765031 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pituitary Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone receptors (GnRH-R) mediate the activity of the hypothalamic decapeptide GnRH, thus playing a key role in the regulation of the reproductive axis. Early-stage prostate cancer (PCa) is dependent on serum androgen levels, and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), based on GnRH agonists and antagonists, represents the standard therapeutic approach for PCa patients. Unfortunately, the tumor often progresses towards the more aggressive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) stage. GnRH receptors are also expressed in CRPC tissues, where their binding to both GnRH agonists and antagonists is associated with significant antiproliferative/proapoptotic, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic effects, mediated by the Gαi/cAMP signaling cascade. GnRH agonists and antagonists are now considered as an effective therapeutic strategy for CRPC patients with many clinical trials demonstrating that the combined use of these drugs with standard therapies (i.e., docetaxel, enzalutamide, abiraterone) significantly improves disease-free survival. In this context, GnRH-based bioconjugates (cytotoxic drugs covalently linked to a GnRH-based decapeptide) have been recently developed. The rationale of this treatment is that the GnRH peptide selectively binds to its receptors, delivering the cytotoxic drug to CRPC cells while sparing nontumor cells. Some of these compounds have already entered clinical trials.
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10
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Recent Advances and the Potential for Clinical Use of Autofluorescence Detection of Extra-Ophthalmic Tissues. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25092095. [PMID: 32365790 PMCID: PMC7248908 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25092095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The autofluorescence (AF) characteristics of endogenous fluorophores allow the label-free assessment and visualization of cells and tissues of the human body. While AF imaging (AFI) is well-established in ophthalmology, its clinical applications are steadily expanding to other disciplines. This review summarizes clinical advances of AF techniques published during the past decade. A systematic search of the MEDLINE database and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify clinical AF studies in extra-ophthalmic tissues. In total, 1097 articles were identified, of which 113 from internal medicine, surgery, oral medicine, and dermatology were reviewed. While comparable technological standards exist in diabetology and cardiology, in all other disciplines, comparability between studies is limited due to the number of differing AF techniques and non-standardized imaging and data analysis. Clear evidence was found for skin AF as a surrogate for blood glucose homeostasis or cardiovascular risk grading. In thyroid surgery, foremost, less experienced surgeons may benefit from the AF-guided intraoperative separation of parathyroid from thyroid tissue. There is a growing interest in AF techniques in clinical disciplines, and promising advances have been made during the past decade. However, further research and development are mandatory to overcome the existing limitations and to maximize the clinical benefits.
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11
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Fodor K, Dobos N, Schally A, Steiber Z, Olah G, Sipos E, Szekvolgyi L, Halmos G. The targeted LHRH analog AEZS-108 alters expression of genes related to angiogenesis and development of metastasis in uveal melanoma. Oncotarget 2020; 11:175-187. [PMID: 32010430 PMCID: PMC6968782 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common malignant tumor of the eye. Recently, we have established that 46% of UM specimens express LHRH receptors. This finding supports the idea of a LHRH receptor-targeted therapy of UM patients. Cytotoxic analog of LHRH, AEZS-108 exhibits effective anti-cancer activity in LHRH-receptor positive cancers. AEZS-108 is a hybrid molecule, composed of a synthetic peptide carrier and the cytotoxic doxorubicin (DOX). In the present study, we investigated AEZS-108 induced cytotoxicity and the altered mRNA expression profile of regulatory factors related to angiogenesis and metastasis in LHRH receptor positive OCM3 cells. Our results show that AEZS-108 upregulates the expression of MASPIN/SERPINB5 tumor suppressor gene, which is downregulated in normal uvea and UM specimens independently from the LHRH receptor-ligand interaction. AEZS-108 also substantially downregulates hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) expression. In order to investigate the mechanism of the induction of MASPIN by AEZS-108, OCM3 cells were treated with free DOX, D-Lys6 LHRH analog, or AEZS-108. qRT- PCR analysis revealed in OCM3 cells that AEZS-108 is a more potent inducer of MASPIN than free DOX. In conclusion, we show for the first time that AEZS-108 has a major impact in the regulation of angiogenesis thus plays a potential role in tumor suppression. Taken together, our results support the development of novel therapeutic strategies for UM focusing on LHRH receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Fodor
- University of Debrecen, Department of Biopharmacy, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Dobos
- University of Debrecen, Department of Biopharmacy, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew Schally
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Insitute, Miami, FL, USA.,University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Department of Medicine, Divisions of Oncology and Endocrinology, Sylvester Comprehensive Center, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zita Steiber
- University of Debrecen, Department of Ophthalmology, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabor Olah
- University of Debrecen, Department of Biopharmacy, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Eva Sipos
- University of Debrecen, Department of Biopharmacy, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lorant Szekvolgyi
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, MTA-DE Momentum, Genome Architecture and Recombination Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabor Halmos
- University of Debrecen, Department of Biopharmacy, Debrecen, Hungary.,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Insitute, Miami, FL, USA
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12
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Delahousse J, Skarbek C, Paci A. Prodrugs as drug delivery system in oncology. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2019; 84:937-958. [DOI: 10.1007/s00280-019-03906-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Peptide Conjugates with Small Molecules Designed to Enhance Efficacy and Safety. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24101855. [PMID: 31091786 PMCID: PMC6572008 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24101855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides constitute molecular diversity with unique molecular mechanisms of action that are proven indispensable in the management of many human diseases, but of only a mere fraction relative to more traditional small molecule-based medicines. The integration of these two therapeutic modalities offers the potential to enhance and broaden pharmacology while minimizing dose-dependent toxicology. This review summarizes numerous advances in drug design, synthesis and development that provide direction for next-generation research endeavors in this field. Medicinal studies in this area have largely focused upon the application of peptides to selectively enhance small molecule cytotoxicity to more effectively treat multiple oncologic diseases. To a lesser and steadily emerging extent peptides are being therapeutically employed to complement and diversify the pharmacology of small molecule drugs in diseases other than just cancer. No matter the disease, the purpose of the molecular integration remains constant and it is to achieve superior therapeutic outcomes with diminished adverse effects. We review linker technology and conjugation chemistries that have enabled integrated and targeted pharmacology with controlled release. Finally, we offer our perspective on opportunities and obstacles in the field.
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14
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Singla N, Ghandour RA, Raj GV. Investigational luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists and other hormonal agents in early stage clinical trials for prostate cancer. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2019; 28:249-259. [PMID: 30649971 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2019.1570130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The treatment and management of prostate cancer continues to evolve; newer classes of agents and combination therapies are being developed and some are being investigated in early phase clinical trials. AREAS COVERED We discuss investigational hormonal agents for the treatment of prostate cancer and focus primarily on luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists in early stage trials. We look at agents that target the hormonal axis, including anti-androgens, gonadotropins, estrogenic agents and progestogenic agents and other non-hormonal agents often used in combination with LHRH agonists. We review these candidates in the specific clinical niche in which they might find utility. EXPERT OPINION Of all candidate compounds being evaluated in clinical trials, very few will receive FDA approval. Few, if any of the investigational agents discussed here will be used routinely in clinical practice for treating prostate cancer. Recognizing the reasons for the failure of agents to advance to later stage trials is important. Furthermore, a thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying prostate cancer pathogenesis, including various points in the HGPA and parallel pathways, will help identify potentially actionable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmish Singla
- a Department of Urology , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas , TX , USA
| | - Rashed A Ghandour
- a Department of Urology , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas , TX , USA
| | - Ganesh V Raj
- a Department of Urology , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas , TX , USA
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Oláh G, Dobos N, Vámosi G, Szabó Z, Sipos É, Fodor K, Harda K, Schally AV, Halmos G. Experimental therapy of doxorubicin resistant human uveal melanoma with targeted cytotoxic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (AN-152). Eur J Pharm Sci 2018; 123:371-376. [PMID: 30076951 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cytotoxic analogs of LHRH (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone) can be successfully used for the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers such as prostatic, ovarian, endometrial, but our knowledge about their effect on hormone-independent cancers such as human uveal melanoma (UM) is limited. Previously, we have demonstrated that 46% of UM express full-length LHRH receptors. This finding has led us to further examine the mechanism of action of LHRH receptor based targeted therapies in this malignancy. AIMS In the present study we investigated the cellular uptake of doxorubicin (DOX) and cytotoxic LHRH analog AN-152 (AEZS-108, zoptarelin doxorubicin) on human UM cell lines (OCM3) and its DOX resistant form OCM3DOX320 by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The LHRH receptor expression was characterized by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS We were able to establish a new, stable and DOX resistant human UM cell line OCM3DOX320. Our results demonstrated the expression of splice variants and isoforms of receptor for LHRH in OCM3 UM cell line and its doxorubicin resistant form OCM3DOX320. It has been revealed by MTT assay that AN-152 inhibited cell proliferation in a dose dependent manner in OCM3DOX320 cells. Furthermore, receptor-mediated uptake of AN-152 was demonstrated using confocal laser scanning microscopy in both cell line. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the antiproliferative effect of AN-152 can be detected even if only LHRH receptor isoforms are expressed. Our study also demonstrates the LHRH receptor-mediated uptake of AN-152 in DOX resistant OCM3DOX320 cells. Our experiments provide new insights into a potential targeted therapy of UM and give further details about the accumulation of AN-152 in hormone-independent DOX-resistant cells expressing splice variants of the LHRH receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Oláh
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Dobos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vámosi
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Szabó
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Éva Sipos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Klára Fodor
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Kristóf Harda
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew V Schally
- Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Gábor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary; Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA.
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Vrettos EI, Mező G, Tzakos AG. On the design principles of peptide-drug conjugates for targeted drug delivery to the malignant tumor site. Beilstein J Org Chem 2018; 14:930-954. [PMID: 29765474 PMCID: PMC5942387 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death affecting nearly one in two people, and the appearance of new cases is projected to rise by >70% by 2030. To effectively combat the menace of cancer, a variety of strategies have been exploited. Among them, the development of peptide–drug conjugates (PDCs) is considered as an inextricable part of this armamentarium and is continuously explored as a viable approach to target malignant tumors. The general architecture of PDCs consists of three building blocks: the tumor-homing peptide, the cytotoxic agent and the biodegradable connecting linker. The aim of the current review is to provide a spherical perspective on the basic principles governing PDCs, as also the methodology to construct them. We aim to offer basic and integral knowledge on the rational design towards the construction of PDCs through analyzing each building block, as also to highlight the overall progress of this rapidly growing field. Therefore, we focus on several intriguing examples from the recent literature, including important PDCs that have progressed to phase III clinical trials. Last, we address possible difficulties that may emerge during the synthesis of PDCs, as also report ways to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirinaios I Vrettos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
| | - Gábor Mező
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andreas G Tzakos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
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Argyros O, Karampelas T, Varela A, Asvos X, Papakyriakou A, Agalou A, Beis D, Davos CH, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Targeting of the breast cancer microenvironment with a potent and linkable oxindole based antiangiogenic small molecule. Oncotarget 2018; 8:37250-37262. [PMID: 28422745 PMCID: PMC5514907 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical efficacy of antiangiogenic small molecules (e.g., sunitinib) in breast carcinoma has largely failed with substantial off-target toxicity. We rationally designed and evaluated preclinically a novel sunitinib analogue, SAP, with favourable pharmacological properties and the ability to be readily conjugated to a targeting peptide or antibody for active tumour targeting. SAP was evaluated in silico and in vitro in order to verify target engagement (e.g., VEGFR2). Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution parameters were determined in mice using LC-MS/MS. SAP efficacy was tested in two breast cancer xenograft and two syngeneic animal models and pharmacodynamic evaluation was accomplished using phosphokinase assays and immunohistochemistry. Cardiac and blood toxicity of SAP were also monitored. SAP retained the antiangiogenic and cytotoxic properties of the parental molecule with an increased blood exposure and tumor accumulation compared to sunitinib. SAP proved efficacious in all animal models. Tumors from SAP treated animals had significantly decreased Ki-67 and CD31 markers and reduced levels of phosphorylated AKT, ERK and S6 compared to vehicle treated animals. In mice dosed with SAP there was negligible hematotoxicity, while cardiac function measurements showed a reduction in the percentage left ventricular fractional shortening compared to vehicle treated animals. In conclusion, SAP is a novel rationally designed conjugatable small antiangiogenic molecule, efficacious in preclinical models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Argyros
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Theodoros Karampelas
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Aimilia Varela
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Xenophon Asvos
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Athanasios Papakyriakou
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products and Designed Molecules, Institute of Physical Chemistry, N.C.S.R "Demokritos", Athens, 15310, Greece
| | - Adamantia Agalou
- Developmental Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Developmental Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Constantinos H Davos
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Demosthenes Fokas
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
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Sipos E, Dobos N, Rozsa D, Fodor K, Olah G, Szabo Z, Szekvolgyi L, Schally AV, Halmos G. Characterization of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor type I (LH-RH-I) as a potential molecular target in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human uveal melanoma cell lines. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:933-941. [PMID: 29503568 PMCID: PMC5826244 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s148174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy with very poor prognosis. Conventional chemotherapy only rarely prolongs the survival, therefore patients require novel treatment modalities. The discovery of specific receptors for hypothalamic hormones on cancer cells has led to the development of radiolabeled and cytotoxic hormone analogs. Materials and methods In the present study, our aim was to investigate the expression of mRNA for receptors of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone type I (LH-RH-I) and LH-RH ligand in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human uveal melanoma cell lines. The presence and binding characteristics of LH-RH-I receptor protein was further studied by Western blot, immunocytochemistry and ligand competition assay. The expression of mRNA and protein for LH-RH-I receptors has been also studied using tumor samples originating from nude mice xenografted with OCM-1 or OCM-3 cells. Results The mRNA for LH-RH-I receptor has been detected in OCM-1 and OCM-3 cell lines and was found markedly higher in OCM-3 cells. The mRNA for LH-RH-I receptors was also observed in both UM xenograft models in vivo with higher levels in OCM-3. The presence of LH-RH-I receptor protein was found in both cell lines in vitro by immunocytochemistry and Western blot, and also in tumor tissue samples grown in nude mice by Western blot. Both human uveal melanoma models investigated showed specific high affinity receptors for LH-RH-I using ligand competition assay. The mRNA for LH-RH ligand has also been detected in OCM-1 and OCM-3 cell lines and cancer tissues. Conclusion The demonstration of the expression of LH-RH-I receptors in OCM-1 and OCM-3 human UM cell lines suggests that they could serve as potential molecular target for therapy. Our findings support the development of new therapeutic approaches based on cytotoxic LH-RH analogs or modern powerful antagonistic analogs of LH-RH targeting LH-RH-I receptors in UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sipos
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Dobos
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - David Rozsa
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Klara Fodor
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabor Olah
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Szabo
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lorant Szekvolgyi
- MTA-DE Momentum, Genome Architecture and Recombination Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.,Research Centre for Molecular Medicine; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew V Schally
- Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Medicine, Divisions of Hematology-Oncology and Endocrinology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Gabor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA
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Targeting luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone: A potential therapeutics to treat gynecological and other cancers. J Control Release 2018; 269:277-301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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20
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Liu W, Yin B, Wang X, Yu P, Duan X, Liu C, Wang B, Tao Z. Circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer: Precision diagnosis and therapy. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:1223-1232. [PMID: 28789337 PMCID: PMC5529747 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary cause of tumor-associated mortality in prostate cancer (PCa) remains distant metastasis. The dissemination of tumor cells from the primary tumor to distant sites through the bloodstream cannot be detected early by standard imaging methods. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent an effective prognostic and predictive biomarker, which are able to monitor efficacy of adjuvant therapies, detect early development of metastases, and finally, assess therapeutic responses of advanced disease earlier than traditional diagnostic methods. In addition, since repeated tissue biopsies are invasive, costly and not always feasible, the assessment of tumor characteristics on CTCs, by a peripheral blood sample as a liquid biopsy, represents an attractive opportunity. The implementation of molecular and genomic characterization of CTCs may contribute to improve the treatment selection and thus, to move toward more precise diagnosis and therapy in PCa. The present study summarizes the current advances in CTC enrichment and detection strategies and reviews how CTCs may contribute to significant insights in the metastatic process, as well as how they may be utilized in clinical application in PCa. Although it is proposed that CTCs may offer insights into the prognosis and management of PCa, there are a number of challenges in the study of circulating tumor cells, and their clinical utility remains under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Binbin Yin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Xuchu Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Pan Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Xiuzhi Duan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Ben Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Zhihua Tao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
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A Phase II Trial of AEZS-108 in Castration- and Taxane-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Clin Genitourin Cancer 2017; 15:742-749. [PMID: 28668277 DOI: 10.1016/j.clgc.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AEZS-108 (zoptarelin doxorubicin) is a cytotoxic hybrid molecule consisting of doxorubicin covalently coupled with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogue, which selectively targets doxorubicin to tumor cells expressing LHRH receptors. We report the clinical efficacy of AEZS-108 in a phase II trial in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer who had disease progression after taxane-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients received AEZS-108 210 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks. The primary end point was clinical benefit defined as nonprogression at 12 weeks with no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) or other toxicities requiring termination of treatment. Secondary end points included response rate, pain response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were captured and tested for LHRH receptors, as well as for internalization of AEZS-108 using autofluorescence. RESULTS Twenty-five patients were enrolled; 20 patients had at least 1 measurable lesion at baseline. Patients received a median of 5 cycles (range, 1-9) and 44% of patients received at least 6 cycles with 2 patients who completed ≥ 8 cycles. Considering clinical benefits, 13 patients (52%) remained progression-free at 12 weeks with no DLT or other toxicities requiring termination of treatment. For clinical response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 criteria, 1 patient (4%) experienced a confirmed partial response (PR) within 12 weeks, 14 patients (56%) had stable disease (SD), and 8 patients (32%) had disease progression. For maximal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, 1 patient (4%) experienced a confirmed PR within 12 weeks, 21 patients (84%) had SD, and 3 patients (12%) had disease progression as denoted by their best PSA response. Pain improved in 13 (59%) patients. The median PFS was 3.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-4.4), and median OS was 6.0 months (95% CI, 4.2-10.1) with a median follow-up of 16.1 months (range, 3.2-36.1). Baseline CTC enumeration was an independent predictor of OS but not PFS. CONCLUSION AEZS-108 showed activity in patients who were pretreated, a subset typically very difficult to treat, and maintained an acceptable safety profile.
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Schally AV, Block NL, Rick FG. Discovery of LHRH and development of LHRH analogs for prostate cancer treatment. Prostate 2017; 77:1036-1054. [PMID: 28449236 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The discovery, isolation, elucidation of structure, synthesis, and initial testing of the neuropeptide hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which regulates reproduction, is briefly described. The design, synthesis, and experimental and clinical testing of agonistic analogs of LHRH is extensively reviewed focusing on the development of new methods for the treatment of prostate cancer. Subsequent development of antagonistic analogs of LHRH is then faithfully recounted with special emphasis on therapy of prostate cancer and BPH. The concepts of targeted therapy to peptide receptors on tumors are re-examined and the development of the cytotoxic analogs of LHRH and their status is reviewed. The endeavor to develop better therapies for prostate cancer, based on LHRH analogs, guided much of our work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew V Schally
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida
- Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Norman L Block
- Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Ferenc G Rick
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida
- Department of Urology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
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Sipos E, Hegyi K, Treszl A, Steiber Z, Mehes G, Dobos N, Fodor K, Olah G, Szekvolgyi L, Schally AV, Halmos G. Concurrence of chromosome 3 and 4 aberrations in human uveal melanoma. Oncol Rep 2017; 37:1927-1934. [PMID: 28350068 PMCID: PMC5367339 DOI: 10.3892/or.2017.5496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy with a very poor prognosis. The most frequent chromosome aberration in UM is the monosomy of chromosome 3. Previously, we demonstrated that ~50% of UMs express type-I receptor for luteinizing hormone‑releasing hormone (LH-RH-R). The gene encoding LH-RH-R is located in chromosome 4 (location: 4q21.2); however, the occurrence of numerical aberrations of chromosome 4 have never been studied in UM. In the present study, we investigated the abnormalities of chromosome 3 and 4, and the possible correlation between them, as well as with LH-RH-R expression. Forty-six specimens of UM were obtained after enucleation. Numerical aberrations of chromosome 3 and 4 were studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Chromosome 4 was detected in normal biparental disomy only in 14 (30%) samples; however, 32 cases (70%) showed more than 2 signals/nucleus. Monosomy of chromosome 3 could be found in 16 (35%) samples. In 6 specimens (13%), more than 2 copies of chromosome 3 were found, while normal biparental disomy was detected in 24 (52%) samples. Statistical analysis indicated a statistically significant (p<0.05) correlation between the copy number of chromosome 3 and 4. Moreover, moderate difference was revealed in the survival rate of the UM patients with various pathological profiles. No correlation was found between chromosome aberrations and LH-RH-R expression. Our results clearly demonstrate abnormalities in chromosome 3 and 4 and the incidence of the monosomy of chromosome 3 in human UM. In summary, our results provide new incite concerning the genetic background of this tumor. Our findings could contribute to a more precise determination of the prognosis of human UM and to the development of new therapeutic approaches to this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sipos
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Kata Hegyi
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrea Treszl
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zita Steiber
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabor Mehes
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Dobos
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Klara Fodor
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabor Olah
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lorant Szekvolgyi
- MTA-DE Momentum, Genome Architecture and Recombination Research Group, Research Centre for Molecular Medicine; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew V. Schally
- Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute and South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125, USA
- Department of Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33101, USA
- Department of Medicine, Divisions of Hematology-Oncology and Endocrinology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33101, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Gabor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Endocrine, Polypeptide and Cancer Institute and South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125, USA
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Karampelas T, Skavatsou E, Argyros O, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Gemcitabine Based Peptide Conjugate with Improved Metabolic Properties and Dual Mode of Efficacy. Mol Pharm 2017; 14:674-685. [PMID: 28099809 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b00961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gemcitabine is a clinically established anticancer agent potent in various solid tumors but limited by its rapid metabolic inactivation and off-target toxicity. We have previously generated a metabolically superior to gemcitabine molecule (GSG) by conjugating gemcitabine to a gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) ligand peptide and showed that GSG was efficacious in a castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) animal model. The current article provides an in-depth metabolic and mechanistic study of GSG, coupled with toxicity assays that strengthen the potential role of GSG in the clinic. LC-MS/MS based approaches were employed to delineate the metabolism of GSG, its mechanistic cellular uptake, and release of gemcitabine and to quantitate the intracellular levels of gemcitabine and its metabolites (active dFdCTP and inactive dFdU) resulting from GSG. The GnRH-R agonistic potential of GSG was investigated by quantifying the testosterone levels in animals dosed daily with GSG, while an in vitro colony forming assay together with in vivo whole blood measurements were performed to elucidate the hematotoxicity profile of GSG. Stability showed that the major metabolite of GSG is a more stable nonapeptide that could prolong gemcitabine's bioavailability. GSG acted as a prodrug and offered a metabolic advantage compared to gemcitabine by generating higher and steadier levels of dFdCTP/dFdU ratio, while intracellular release of gemcitabine from GSG in DU145 CRPC cells depended on nucleoside transporters. Daily administrations in mice showed that GSG is a potent GnRH-R agonist that can also cause testosterone ablation without any observed hematotoxicity. In summary, GSG could offer a powerful and unique pharmacological approach to prostate cancer treatment: a single nontoxic molecule that can be used to reach the tumor site selectively with superior to gemcitabine metabolism, biodistribution, and safety while also agonistically ablating testosterone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Karampelas
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Skavatsou
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Demosthenes Fokas
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina , 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
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Hagimori M, Fuchigami Y, Kawakami S. Peptide-Based Cancer-Targeted DDS and Molecular Imaging. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2017; 65:618-624. [DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c17-00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masayori Hagimori
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Yuki Fuchigami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Shigeru Kawakami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Gilad Y, Firer M, Gellerman G. Recent Innovations in Peptide Based Targeted Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells. Biomedicines 2016; 4:E11. [PMID: 28536378 PMCID: PMC5344250 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines4020011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics and diagnostic agents conjugated to carrier ligands has made significant progress in recent years, both in regards to the structural design of the conjugates and their biological effectiveness. The goal of targeting specific cell surface receptors through structural compatibility has encouraged the use of peptides as highly specific carriers as short peptides are usually non-antigenic, are structurally simple and synthetically diverse. Recent years have seen many developments in the field of peptide based drug conjugates (PDCs), particularly for cancer therapy, as their use aims to bypass off-target side-effects, reducing the morbidity common to conventional chemotherapy. However, no PDCs have as yet obtained regulatory approval. In this review, we describe the evolution of the peptide-based strategy for targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics and discuss recent innovations in the arena that should lead in the near future to their clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosi Gilad
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.
| | - Michael Firer
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.
| | - Gary Gellerman
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.
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Review on the binding of anticancer drug doxorubicin with DNA and tRNA: Structural models and antitumor activity. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2016; 158:274-9. [PMID: 26971631 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2016.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we have compared the results of multiple spectroscopic studies and molecular modeling of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) bindings to DNA and tRNA. DOX was intercalated into DNA duplex, while tRNA binding is via major and minor grooves. DOX-DNA intercalation is close to A-7, C-5, *C-19 (H-bonding with DOX NH2 group), G-6, T-8 and T-18 with the free binding energy of -4.99kcal/mol. DOX-tRNA groove bindings are near A-29, A-31, A-38, C-25, C-27, C-28, *G-30 (H-bonding) and U-41 with the free binding energy of -4.44kcal/mol. Drug intercalation induced a partial B to A-DNA transition, while tRNA remained in A-family structure. The structural differences observed between DOX bindings to DNA and tRNA can be the main reasons for drug antitumor activity. The results of in vitro MTT assay on SKC01 colon carcinoma are consistent with the observed DNA structural changes. Future research should be focused on finding suitable nanocarriers for delivery of DOX in vivo in order to exploit the full capacity of this very important anticancer drug.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The hybridization of biologically active molecules is a powerful tool for drug discovery used to target a variety of diseases. It offers the prospect of better drugs for the treatment of a number of illnesses including cancer, malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Hybrid drugs can provide combination therapies in a single multi-functional agent and, by doing so, be more specific and powerful than conventional classic treatments. This research field is in great expansion and attracts many researchers worldwide. AREA COVERED This review covers the main research published between early 2013 to mid-2015 and takes into account several previous reviews on the subject. Its intention is to showcase the most recent advances reported towards the development of molecular hybrids in drug discovery. Particular attention is given to anticancer hybrids throughout the review. EXPERT OPINION Current advances show that molecular hybrids of biologically active molecules can lead to powerful therapeutics. Natural products play a key role in this field. It is also believed that toxin hybrids present a great opportunity for future progress and should be further explored. Furthermore, the synthesis of hybrid organometallics should be systematically studied as it can lead to potent drugs. The crucial requirement for growth still remains the efficacy of synthesis. Hence, the development of efficient synthetic methods allowing rapid access to diverse series of hybrids must be further investigated by researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gervais Bérubé
- a Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique , Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières , Québec , Canada
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29
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Argyros O, Karampelas T, Asvos X, Varela A, Sayyad N, Papakyriakou A, Davos CH, Tzakos AG, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Peptide–Drug Conjugate GnRH–Sunitinib Targets Angiogenesis Selectively at the Site of Action to Inhibit Tumor Growth. Cancer Res 2015; 76:1181-92. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-2138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Schally AV, Block NL, Rick FG. New therapies for relapsed castration-resistant prostate cancer based on peptide analogs of hypothalamic hormones. Asian J Androl 2015; 17:925-8. [PMID: 26112478 PMCID: PMC4814950 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.152819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is a pleasure to contribute our presentation at the International Prostate Forum of the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) to this special issue of the Asian Journal of Andrology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew V Schally
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Norman L Block
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Ferenc G Rick
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, FL 33125, USA
- Department of Urology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33174, USA
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